Ms Ooi Lee Ping, Director of Group Marketing, Sales & Business Development and Operations of Federal Hotels International said “We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Nor Hisham bin Ahmad Dahlan, Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur for taking time off to grace the Jom Bersih Bukit Bintang 15 Bersih dan Sihat”. Federal Hotels International and our FHI Hotels namely The Federal Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur have once again jointly organised together with BBCEC Members, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, Local Agenda 21 (LA21) the second Gotong Royong this year in 2018. Federal Hotels International and our FHI Hotels will continue our commitment and collaborative efforts working towards a sustainable environment, promoting the friendly neighbourhood in Bukit Bintang Central area and bring all Malaysians, from young to old, together for a very meaningful cause. Bukit Bintang is the famed tourist belt in Kuala Lumpur, and it is important to continue to boost a clean working and living environment as well as to also spur interaction among the local community and educate our younger generation including students as well our joint responsibility and team work to preserve our environment. Gotong royong is not only on cleaning up the streets but on uniting the people, bringing all community from all walks of life coming together as one, working towards the same goal for the benef its of everyone with collaboration between the government and private sectors. We welcome such efforts put up by the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur on its recent beautification of the seven backlanes and sidelanes in Jalan Alor under its Laneways Project. The upgraded alleyways will further bring Bukit Bintang to the next level as a friendly, safe and clean environment. The Bukit Bintang gotong royong is now in its 18thyear in 2018, Federal Hotels International initiated the first Bukit Bintang Gotong Royong in 2001 together with The Federal Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur. The objective of the gotong royong then and now is the same as always, aimed to clean up the Bukit Bintang Central area and to educate both the public and students on the importance of keeping our premises in Bukit Bintang and the environment clean and green. Working towards a sustainable environment, promoting our Malaysia spirit of friendly neighbourhood in Bukit Bintang Central; constantly maintaining and enhancing a consistent safe and clean image of Bukit Bintang to ensure that both locals and tourists alike continue to visit this attractive tourist destination and very popular shopping, dining and entertaining hub in the heart of Kuala Lumpur are the main core value of organising this gotong royong. A Part of our Corporate Social Responsibilities is giving back to the community by nurturing the young as well as our Youth to be part of this very meaningful programme of maintaining and of building a better, cleaner and greener environment together. We take pride that all participants are contributing their time to take part in this massive gotong royong. As Corporate Citizens, Federal Hotels International together and its FHI Group of Hotels namely The Federal Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur are committed to continue spearheading this initiative of such community service, i.e. to clean-up our beloved Bukit Bintang Central area. Now, our Bukit Bintang Central Environmental Gotong Royong has drawn continuous support and participation from both public, Government Sector and Private Sectors, and on behalf of Federal Hotels International and FHI Group of Hotels namely The Federal Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur, being one of the participating partners of this Bukit Bintang Central Environmental 36th Gotong Royong of the, we would like to thank all our their supporting partners in making this event successful. We need to put a little more effort together for a better tomorrow. ”

Mr Simon Leong, Senior Area General Manager of Federal Hotels International and Chairman of Bukit Bintang Central Gotong Royong said “We are grateful to have such continuous overwhelmingly support from our LA21 partners and the local community, on our long mission and vision to create the awareness of cleanliness and live healthy in vibrant Bukit Bintang. Since 2001, we did many gotong royong along with campaigns on the need to manage waste properly, though with some level of success but more has to be done to seriously inculcate a culture of “be mindful of the waste we produced. We also have our partners exhibiting their recycle wares sharing their experiences. Basic health screening is made available courtesy of KPJ Sentosa and Jabatan Kesihatan dan Alam Sekitar, DBKL. After the flag off, there will be talks covering subjects of 3R, waste managements, related to healthy life style, dance exercise to fitness, health care, crime prevention, fire prevention and eco ranger challenge. To learn more on subjects of earth friendly methods of waste management, we have technical advisors among our partners, exhibiting their expertise and wares in their respective fields. There are booths offering basic health screening too. In conjunction with this morning’s gotong royong of cleaning back lanes, in collaboration with DBKL’s Jabatan kesihatan dan alam sekitar and the local community, there is a 3-day rats trapping campaign in Changkat Tong Shin and Jalan Alor. (A reward of RM3 per rat caught). Last but not least, I wish to thank our partners for their continuous support of venue, equipment, logistic, breakfasts, door gifts and lucky draw prizes for this morning’s event. Special thanks to the committee for their inputs and support during meetings in the run up to this event. We greatly appreciate and would also wish to thank our Teams from Federal Hotels International, The Federal Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur in organizing, co-ordinating and putting things together for this morning’s Gotong Royong event”.

Established in 2001, Bukit Bintang Central Environmental Committee started with a few members then, they are namely Federal Hotels International Group of Hotels in Kuala Lumpur namely The Federal Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur, Plaza Low Yat, Melia hotel, Royale Bintang hotel, Bintang Warisan hotel, Nova Hotel, Sungai Wang Plaza, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Hawker’s association of Jalan Alor, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur and Alam Flora. We embarked the 1st Gotong Royong with about 250 participants. As the years went by, more establishments volunteered their services. BBCEC is 18 years old in 2018 and it was first initiated by Federal Hotels International (FHI) & FHI Group of Hotels in Kuala Lumpur namely The Federal Kuala Lumpur and Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur together with Plaza Low Yat. With accomplishment of total 35 gotong royong since its inception, BBCEC is proud to remain committed towards a good cause. Todate, we have with us over 800 strong participants.

The Bukit Bintang Central Environmental Committee is committed to regularly meet up once a month, with the representatives from LA21, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, Alam Flora to jointly work towards sustainable clean and green environment. BBCEC will continue to organize such gotong royong campaign at least twice a year, with the co-operation and assistance from all parties concerned.